Sourdough is in the spotlight at this farm-based festival

SLICED OR HUNKED? How we approach a crisp-exterior'd boule of sourdough is a personal matter, though we often decide at the moment how we'll devour our first taste. Do we carefully slice an end off, the sort of flat piece that can be easily buttered? Or do we "hunk" a warm loaf, tearing off a sizable portion that may be unlovely to gaze upon but extremely lovely to eat? Many of us probably swear allegiance to both sides of the argument, depending upon our particular moods and personal levels of peckishness. However you prefer to eat your sourdough, though, it comes down to this: You utterly love the stuff. You love the time it takes to rise, how soon it goes golden in the oven, a well-made loaf's chewy pockets, and that quintessential tang that no condiment can quite disguise.

123 FARM IN CHERRY VALLEY... understands our sourdough longings. The destination is a lavender-lovely favorite in May and June each year, and, come the holidays, the outdoor space twinkles thanks to lots and lots of lights. But before winter is done, sourdough reigns at the pretty property, meaning bread buffs can take workshops, eat pizza, and enjoy talks on fermentation at the annual Sourdough Bread Festival. The festival's flavorful dates? Look to the final Saturdays and Sundays of February 2024, so Feb. 17, 18, 24, and 25. Can't make the festival? There are more fresh-air'd gatherings blooming at 123 Farm in the coming months, including the Wild Orchard Tea Festival in early March, followed by a celebration of olives and olive oil.